Invtpllokff



(No Model.)

C. A. LIEB.

ELECTRIC WIRE SUSPENDER.

110.452,01?. Patented May 12,1891.

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ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES A. LIEB, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRIC-WIRE SUSPENDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 452,017, dated May l2, 1891.

Application iiled November 8 1890. Serial No. 370,832. (No model.)

To all whom, it 11mg concern,.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. LIEB, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulEleetric-lVire Suspenders, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improved means whereby trolley-wires in overhead systems for electric railways may be attached to the span-wires; and it consists in a body-piece of insulating material provided with means whereby it maybe suspended from the spanwires attached to it in such manner as to secure insulation of the trolley-wire.

My invention also comprises a construction of the device in such manner that it will serve not only as a suspender for the trolleywire, but also as a turn-buckle for tightening or slackening the span-wire.

Figure 1 illustrates a plan of one form of theinvention. Fig. 2 illustrates a sectional view longitudinally of one end of the device, as shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 illustrates a plan of another form of suspender, showing means whereby fracture of the suspender will not result in dropping the trolley-wire in the street. Fig. e illustrates a combined suspender and turn-buckle. Fig. 5 illustrates a modied construction of the suspender shown in Fig. l. Fig. 6 illustrates an alternativecenstruction of the form of hanger shown in Fig. 5.

In the drawings I show the span-wire as running parallel with the trolley-wire. I do this inorder that a more clear idea of the invention may be had. They do not often run parallel with each other, although sometimes they do and also at an angle thereto.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, A is the body part of the suspender. It is made of any insulating or non-conducting material or of niaterial duly insulated. B B are enlarged ends, which are inclesed in metallic caps C C, which are compressed upon the enlarged ends, substantially as set forth in my United States Letters Patent No. 435,505, d ated September 2, 1890, for a somewhat similar device. Inn fact, the caps C C maybe compressed at their forward ends so hard upon the non-conducting body part as to indent 1t, and I sometimes make the enlarged ends in this way to prevent slipping or displacement of the caps from a body-piece which did not originally have enlarged ends, or the ends of the cap may be bent inwardly into grooves made in lLhe insulating body part or piece. D D are hooks which are attached to or form part of the caps C C. They are so formed that the span-wire E may be caught under them, as shown in Fig. 2, and preferably the adjustment of the hook is such that the spanwire will be deflected somewhat from a right line when it crosses over the edge of the caps, as at F F, to pass below the hooks. G is a block of metal set in a hole made in the body-piece A and held therein by a longitudinally-extending pin or bolt H. I is the spindle of the trolley-wire support to which the connection-piece J is pivoted at K, as usual. The spindle I is threaded into the block G, as shown. I-I is a plug of wood driven into the hole through which the pin H is passed and in rear thereof, which prevents the pin from working backwardly and coming in contact with the cap O, which might carry current to the cap and thence to thespan-wire. I sometimes, however, make this pin H of non-conducting material. If so, the plug H will not be required. It will be seen that when the trolley-wire is suspended to the span-wire by this device it is completely insulated from the span-wire, and that no current can pass from one to the other, and also that if the hooks D are constructed as shown the bends in the span-wire will prevent longitudinal sliding of the support A alongit. And in addition to these features I secure the following advantages,which I believe are not attainable by any prior form of trolleywire Suspenders. The old porcelain or bell-shaped wooden suspenders,whether of porcelain or Wood, do not, owing to their material and shape, withstand the blows from trolley-poles which have escaped from the wires, nor do they withstand the action of the elements, but crack, split, burst, or get out of order in various ways, sometimes occasioning the trolley-wheel to leave the wire, and sometimes dropping the line into the street.

In Fig. 3 I show a construction substantially the same as that shown in Figs. 1 and 2, eX- cepting that the pin or rod H has two metallic washeis L L firmly riveted on either end thereof, these washers being contained in re- ISO lator inwardly.

cesses M, made in both ends of the body part A. 'lhe diameter of these washers is greater than thatI of the opening across the contracted neck of the insulating-body A at N, so that if it should break there or at any other place, orbe destroyed by lire from any cause the trolley-wire would not drop, because the washer could not escape from the caps. O is a piece of insulating material, which I prefer to interpose between the washers L L and the caps at each end, so that by no possibility can current pass to the caps through the pin or rod l-I.

In Fig. 4I show a combined suspender and turn-buckle. rIhe body part A and caps C are the same as explained before, but there are no hooks, because the span-wire in this case engages with the ends of the turn-buckle, and for this reason the caps are centrally threaded, as at I), so that the span-wire shown at the right at E, or an eyebolt or its equivalent Q shown at the left, to which the other end of the span-wire will be attached, may be threaded right and left into the caps, and they may have an inwardly-extending bushing R shown at the right, which may or may not be threaded, and which will prevent the strain from crushing the end B of the insu- The bushing may be integral with the cap or in a separate piece, like a section of tubing, and if it be threaded, then the bosses S, which I use to thicken the metal for better hold by the threads, need not be employed. The body part A is preferably enlarged a little at its central part, as at T, and a groove T is made therein, which receives a clamp U, the upper ends V whereof are separable and are united by a screw or bolt W. It preferably does not clamp the body A so tightly but that it may be turned to act as l a turn-buckle; but if it does, slight loosening' of the bolt or screw IV will allow it to be turned when necessary.

In Fig. 5 I show a form in which the insulated body part has not the enlarged ends and caps, but on the contrary simple bandsd d, on the upper part whereof the hooks D D are placed in the body. Itis preferably enlarged centrally, as at so that it will be additionally strengthened, and also so that the spanwire E will be deected from its right line in passing over this enlarged part, thus securing the fixed relation of the suspender relative to the span-wire when in place thereon. In this case, also, I show the block G as held in place by a pin l-I, running crosswise instead of lengthwise of the suspender-body.

In Fig. 6 I show a form similar to that shown in Fig. (3, excepting that the end pieces or rings are cup-shaped, and the block G is held in place by a longitudinal instead of a crosswise bolt or pin H, which passes through the ends of the caps C C and is riveted thereon.

Of course the block has to be insulated from I the pin Il. This I do by inclosing the pin in a bushing Il of insulating material. This is another form in which the wire will not drop irrespective of injury to the suspender by burning, duc., as before stated.

I desire to call special attention to one feature of my invention, which, although not perhaps the most essential, is apt to be overlooked unless attention be called to it. It is as follows: Short-circuiting from the ilanges of the trolley-wheel is very apt to occur by reason of the current leaving the flanges as it passes under the supports, especially because, owing to the contraction and expansion of the trolley-wire, the supporters are frequently canted or tilted from their vertical position, thus bringing the trolley-Wire closer to the metal part of the supports. Thus the short-circuiting above alluded to is rendered more liable to occur, especially if ice or snow be deposited upon the parts; also, if the trolley-wheel should leave the wire adjacent to a supporter short-circuiting is liable to occur through the wheel itself or some part of its frame coming in contact with the trolley-wire, some other part of it, probably the flanges of the wheel, coming in contact with the metal parts of the supporter. By my construction all of these defects are completely obviated, because the insulated body part may be as long as desired-a foot if necessary-and it will be still very light and the metal caps or rings at the two ends of the insulating body part will be so far removed from the flanges 0f the trolley-wheel and from the trolley-wire that the short-circuiting above alluded to cannot in any instance occur.

I do not limit myself to the details of construction of the devices, as described and shown, because alteration may be made therein and still the essentials of my invention be employed.

I claiml. A suspender for electric Wires, comprising, essentially, an insulating body part having at each end a hook-like device, which are insulated from each other, and whereby it may be hung to another wire or support, and insulated means for attaching the trolley or other wire to it, substantially as set forth.

2. A suspender for electric wirescompris ing, essentially, a horizontally-disposed insulating body part having means at each end, insulated from each other, whereby it may be attached to another wire by bending the same, and insulated means for attaching a trolley or other wire to it, substantially as set forth.

3. A suspender for electric wires, comprising, essentially, an insulating body part, insulated means whereby a trolley or other wire may be attached thereto, chambered caps which inclose the ends of the body part, and a rod extending through the body part and provided with Washers or heads within the caps, and which are larger than the opening into them, substantially as set forth.

4. A suspender for electric wires, comprising, essentially, an insulating body part, insulated means whereby a trolley or other Wire TOO IIO

CAD

trolley-wire will be held from falling should the insulated body part be destroyed, and means for attaching' the trolley-Wire to the I5 suspender, substantially as set forth.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 7 th day of November, A. D. 1890.

CHARLES A. LIEB.

Witnesses:

PHILLIPS ABBOTT, FREDERICK SMITH. 

